Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God, from waves that roll,
And press to overwhelm my soul;
2 With painful steps in mire I tread,
And deluges o'erflow my head.

3 With restless cries my spirits faint,
My voice is hoarse with long complaint;
My sight decays with tedious pain,
Whilst for my God I wait in vain.

4 My hairs, though num'rous, are but few
Compar'd with foes that me pursue
With groundless hate; grown now of might
To execute their lawless spite.

They force me, guiltless to resign,
As rapine, what by right was mine;
5 Thou, Lord, my innocence doth see,
Nor are my sins conceal'd from thee.

6 Lord God of hosts, take timely care,
Lest, for my sake, thy saints despair;
7 Since I have suffer'd for thy Name
Reproach, an dhid my face in shame;

8 A stranger to my country grown,
Nor to my nearest kindred known;
A foreigner, expos'd to scorn
By brethren of my mother born.

9 For zeal to thy lov'd house and Name
Consumes me like devouring flame;
Concern'd at their affronts to thee,
More than at slanders cast on me.

10 My very tears and abstinence
They construe in a spiteful sense;
11 When cloath'd with sackcloth for their sake,
They me their common proverb make.

12 Their judges at my wrongs do jest,
Those wrongs they ought to have redress'd;
How should I then expect to be
From libels of lewd drunkards free?

13 But, Lord, to thee I will repair
For help, with humble, timely pray'r;
Relieve me from thy mercy's store;
Display thy truth's preserving pow'r.

14 From threat'ning dangers me relieve,
And from the mire my reet retrieve;
From spiteful foes in safety keep,
And snatch me from the raging deep.

15 Control the deluge, ere it spread,
And roll its waves above my head;
Nor deep destruction's open pit
To close her jaws on me permit.

16 Lord, hear the humble pray'r I make,
Fro thy transcending goodness' sake;
Relieve thy supplicant once more
From thy abounding mercy's store.

17 Nor from thy servant hide thy face;
Make haste, for desp'rate is my case;
18 Thy timely succour interpose,
And shield me from remorseless foes.

19 Thou know'st what infamy and scorn
I from my enemies have borne;
Nor can their close dissembled spite,
Or darkest plots, escape thy sight.

20 Reproach and grief have broke my heart;
I look'd for some to take my part,
To pity or relieve my pain;
But look'd, alas! for both in vain.

21 With hunger pin'd, for food I call;
Instead of food, they give me gall;
And when with thirst my spirits sink,
They give me vinegar to drink.

22 Their tables, therefore to their health
Shall prove a snare, a trap their wealth;
23 Perpetual darkness seize their eyes,
And sudden blasts their hopes surprise.

24 on them thou shalt thy fury pour,
Till thy fierce wrath their race devour;
25 And make their house a dismal cell,
Where none will e'er vouchsafe to dwell.

26 For new afflictions they procur'd
For him who had thy stripes endur'd;
And made the wound thy scourge had torn,
To bleed afresh, with sharper scorn.

27 Sin shall to sin their steps betray,
Till they to truth have lost the way;
28 From life thou shalt exclude their soul,
Nor with the just their names carol.

29 But me, howe'er distress'd and poor,
Thy strong salvation shalt restore;
30 Thy pow'r with songs I'll then proclaim,
And celebrate with thanks thy Name.

31 Our God shall this more highly prize,
Than herds or flocks in sacrifice;
32 Which humble saints with joy shall see,
And hope for like redress with me.

33 For God regards the poor's complaint;
Sets pris'ners free from close restraint:
34 Let heav'n, earth, sea, their voices raise,
And all the world resound his praise.

35 For God will Sion's walls erect;
Fair Judah's cities he'll protect;
Till all her scatter'd sons repair
To undisturb'd possession there.

36 This blessing they shall, at their death,
To their religious heirs bequeath;
And they to endless ages more,
Of such as his blest Name adore.

Source: The Whole Book of Psalms: in metre; with hymns suited to the feasts and fasts of the church, and other occasions of public worship #LXIX